Monday, March 24, 2014

Got up at Dark thirty and pointed my trusty Quickbeam towards to NW. The wind was already stiff at 545 as I rolled to meet the guys by 9 am in Sycamore. We gathered and then rolled further nw into Kirkland. Riding in Potowatomi forest preserve I lost footing on my bike and tried to unclip to stabilize. The boot came off the bike at the very last nano second and landed on the ground at an angle. I watched helpless as my ankle rolled all the way down. I heard the crackling noise and inmediately wondered if I broke something. I got back on the bike and it started to get sore, really sore. I rode the remaining 20 miles back to the start as smooth as possible. I figure that if it was broke I would be in worse pain and would not be able to ride a singlespeed on gravel. As the ride ended the ankle got stiffer and stiffer. This morning the whole thing is swollen and stiff. I will bandage and go to work. I hope it decides to chill out and let me keep doing what I need to do. Shit happens I guess. I thought I be accident free this winter but it ain't so. better days , Ari

parts of the GWT were free of snow. The shaded parts not.

Jakey, Left, taking an update call from AG Who is in Virginia on a solo tour.

Friday, March 21, 2014

So after all these years of riding one has spent so much time on the bike and has thought of so many things. As I approach 400,000 miles on my legs I really could not have done it without some valuable riding partners. I hear a lot of some people that like to ride alone. I understand their point of view and how they enjoy the time alone. I have done that for many rides and many miles. Sometimes nobody is free to ride so you must just get out there and go solo. I most enjoy riding not alone. The riding partner is an inmensely valuable person. This person will not only keep you company but will also encourage you and motivate you to ride faster, longer and to do rides that would be impossible on a solo effort. The riding partner will always be on time. Will always be a listening ear. Will keep you informed of different topics. What new stuff came out, who won such and such race, what new ride is coming up. The riding partner will worry about your safety and help you when you are feeling tired and unmotivated. Through out the years I have been able to sync up with a few riding partners. I have been fascinated by how well we ride together. We could go on for miles and miles and float on the road, drafting and making exchanges effortlessly. Then the news comes of the move. The sadness of losing your best companion on the bike. What continues is miles and miles of alone time. Their voice echoing in your helmet. The never ending desire to share miles and stories. It has happened to me and it will happen again. It is a sad reality of life. Enjoy those miles. Enjoy your gift of the riding partner. Because as all things in life it is a fleeting moment. Catch it if you can. Thanks for reading, Ari

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Turbo Tuesdays have been a long standing tradition with the Slender Fungus. Sometimes we move around and don't seem to be able to get all together to do this ride. Sometimes we do it alone. Sometimes with just another person. There is something special about Tuesday night. I look foward to it all the time. It's getting thru Monday's at the shop. All the repairs and heavy traffic happens on Monday. Come Tuesday it calms down. Then come Tuesday night I saddle up, take the lights and then I feel that magic happen. Lately I have been riding Turbo Tuesdays with A.G. Tonight we ignored all the predictions of rain, storms and whatever else and just got on our singlespeeds and headed west. It was a teeenny bit warmer but not really. We pounded 50 miles in the dark with ease. We hit some hills off the saddle and it felt good. We spun and spun avoiding potholes and sometimes hitting one square on. 4 hours later I get home and I am wide awake. I eat something since I don't eat when I ride 50 miles. I make some Mint tea and I catch up with my writing. The next morning I get to work and listen to the accomplishments of others. I secretely know I was out there the night before. Nobody saw us, nobody noticed us. We watch sporadic TV while we ride. The Big sreens are more obvious thru the Bay windows than ever. I can spend all night trying to explain the magic of Turbo Tuesday but I think my english not so good. All I can say is that you should join us. I really doubt you will regret it. Go on, set yourself free. Thanks for coming out tonight A.G. Ari

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Got out early on Saturday morning at 6am. We met at the shop and rolled Southbound towards New Lennox. It was a cold morning again and with the time change it was pitch black outside. Dave was aboard his 29er and A.G on her Touring-ready Crosscheck. We Made it to New Lennox then headed north towards Lemont. We tried crossing thru WaterFall Glen but the trails were treacherous. Glared ice made us detour back onto the roads. We brought Dave back to the shop and then A.G. and I continued eastbound to get more miles in. I finish the day with around 89 miles and I believe AG should have done 100 before it was all said and done. It sort of started to warm up by the time I got back. Of course. Friend Ricardo did some adjusting to my position and it felt amazing. He brought my saddle foward and up a little. I was able to spin more and also reduce pain in my lower back. Thank you my friend!!Ari

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

March has been a real challenge but have stuck to our guns for sure. Lots of snow, wind, slush, water and whatnot. Last night was no exception. We left my house around 7 pm for a Turbo Tuesday Night. Dave could not make it so I rode out with A.G. We rode out to Naperville then headed north and then all the way back to Riverside. I then rode home with a delicious tailwind while the ice was ripping my face apart. My boots soaked thru and I was very happy to make it home around 11 pm. Got in 50 miles for a real bruiser of a day. Ari

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Had a lot of cold riding this weekend. Saturday we rode eastbound into a horrendous headwind with snow, slush and water soaking us. Then on Sunday we rode Westbound into a headwind for 30 miles then flipped. Good riding with frozen body parts. Thanks to Dave and A.G. for coming out.Ari

Saturday, March 1, 2014

We blasted down i-88 and arrived on time at the meeting point in my old house in Sycamore,IL. We had received some more snow overnight and I decided to take the Gunnar 29er Singlespeed. We spotted A.G and the Blue Demon riding down Peace rd and then we all met just on time. Waiting out in the freezing cold is not fun. We rode north then west then south then north again. Dave and I ended the day with 34 miles. My lungs were on fire towards the end. The wind was blowing at 20mph steady, the temps were at 16 degrees and my body was starting to really ache. I was glad the ride was over and it felt good to sit in the truck and grab some coffee. If you didn't ride on this day I don't blame you. Better days will come with some much needed warmth and humidity. best, Ari

My little hit counter, Hooray for technology!

Custom Bikes

Slender Fungus Drink of Choice

About Me

I have been a bicycle aficionado since I was 5 years old. I saw for the first time some short broadcast of the Tour de France on t.v. in 1968. We had an old Black and White at the time and that is all I needed that day to fall in love with the bike. I begged with all my might to receive the coveted Tour de France Motobecane that I had spotted at a department store. My dad assured me I was too short to ride it. It had 700c wheels and a full size adult frame. Ever since that day cycling has guided me through the toughest moments of my life. Commuting, racing cross, working at shops, meeting industry people, working on shitty repairs, building over 1,300 wheels and Bike shop hopping for over 17 years. My next goals are to take all this a step foward and see how far I can push all this time and energy. With the help and support of family and some very reliable pals I think it is time to open a serious boutique shop. This is my next project once all is figured out. I want to continue the "real tradition" that is European style road cycling and not the dorky, heavy, triplechainring gang-gangly ill fitting bikes that the corporate companies are falsely selling us.